photo by Rissa Miller

In honor of The Vegetarian Resource Group’s 40^th Anniversary we offer you a wide variety of brownie recipes from Vegan Journal that are perfect to serve at Thanksgiving. Enjoy Pumpkin Spice Brownies with Crumb Topping, Brownie-Beet Pecan Pie, Minty-Zucchini Brownies, Cheesecake Brownies, Orange-Chocolate Chip Blondies, Raspberry Brownies, and more! Find the recipes here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2022issue3/2022_issue3_vegan_brownies.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only by visiting https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

The Sushi Samurai, located in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle, features an extensive menu of vegan sushi rolls, appetizers, nigiri, and sashimi. Some of the creative offerings include vegan prawns (made from konjac root and potato starch), shrimp, “krab,” salmon (made from konjac root and tapioca starch), and eel (made from a type of gourd). Icons on the menu indicate which items are spicy, raw, or gluten-free.

After a lengthy deliberation, four of us shared an appetizer of edamame, five different rolls, and a serving of avocado nigiri. We had take-out and the presentation was lovely with flowers garnishing several of the compostable containers of food.

Our consensus favorite was the Yoga Roll which included tofu, cucumbers, and cilantro in a sweet chili sauce. The combination of flavors in this roll made it our top pick. The Green Goddess Roll and the Seattle Tempura Roll tied for most attractive. The Green Goddess Roll was topped with avocado and sesame seeds and filled with green onions and pickled carrot. The Seattle Tempura Roll was topped with thinly sliced, coral pink vegan salmon and filled with avocado and cream cheese. We also enjoyed a vegetable roll with generous amounts of asparagus, cucumber, avocado, and mixed greens and a cucumber roll. We requested that gluten-containing items be packaged separately from those containing gluten and the restaurant was quite accommodating, even including gluten-free tamari in our take-out order.

You can find The Sushi Samurai at 1817 Queen Anne Ave. N., Seattle, WA.

Visit their website at https://www.thesushisamurai.com/

To find a list of veggie restaurants in the USA and Canada visit: https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

According to the Packer newsletter, the top fresh fruits purchased by U.S. consumers are bananas, strawberries, grapes, apples, and watermelon. The top fresh vegetables are tomatoes, potatoes, onions, carrots, and bell peppers. Interestingly, kale and collards are not on the list.

To see the complete report, go here: https://preferences.farmjournal.com/rs/843-YGB-793/images/Fresh%20Trends%202022.pdf?mkt_tok=ODQzLVlHQi03OTMAAAGHBTPHLFYOjQ10gAkpvpBjgHatwhAGjZ-iM5HP9AMl4DHvibgs18QlBK5Ij8QGH65KbdIUA7hYYRAfeNMlbI90n2Qc8_R_4Fc1BbEbWv17PbbONgBTYA

Mah Maiz

A previous Vegan Journal article features vegan Mexican recipes from Chef Carlos Erez. Chef Carlos was born and raised in New York City. His beautiful mother, a native of Mexico, taught him to cook. He’s been vegan six years and loves translating her recipes and his heritage into compassionate new meals.

Recipes included in his article are: Mah Maiz! (a corn-based soup), Siete Mares (in Mexico, Caldo de Siete Mares is a classic seafood stew. In my vegan version, enjoy seven vegetables, including meaty oyster mushrooms, and a taste of the ocean from kelp powder!), Puebla Con Amor (Stuffed peppers in a rich broth), Señora Tortilla (a deeply authentic meal, originating in the state of Tlaxcala. His version finds its depth from toasted dry peppers and fresh tomatoes.), Mexican Rebel Veggie Stew, and El Rico (a hearty soup).

Find the entire article here: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2020issue1/2020_issue1_soup_stews.php

Subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA only by visiting https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

The Vegetarian Resource Group has commissioned national polls since 1994 to find out how many Americans are vegetarian or vegan. In 1994 we stated, “We can be 95% sure that 0.3% to 1% of the population is vegetarian.” In 2006 2.3% of Americans were vegetarian and 1.4% were vegan. By 2012 we reported that 3% of the US population was vegetarian and another 1% was vegan. In 2019 4% of Americans were vegetarian and 2% were vegan. Finally, in a poll commissioned this year (2022), 3% of the US population is vegetarian and another 3% is vegan. Please keep in mind that when VRG commissions national polls we ask the following question:

Please tell us which of the following foods, if any, you never eat:

• Meat
• Poultry
• Fish or Seafood
• Dairy Products
• Eggs
• Honey

Poll results can be found here: https://www.vrg.org/nutshell/faq.htm#poll

Below is a list of some of the restaurants, caterers, and groups offering vegan meals/potlucks for Thanksgiving (both before and on that day) alphabetically by state. If you’re looking for some new recipes to prepare for Thanksgiving, visit: http://www.vrg.org/recipes/vegan_thanksgiving.php

We wish you a very Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving!

ARIZONA

Green The American Vegetarian, Tempe, AZ

https://thanksliving.square.site/ (take-out)

CALIFORNIA

Native Foods, Costa Mesa, Los Angeles, Palm Springs, and San Diego, CA

https://nativefoods.com/plant-based-thanksgiving/

Raven’s Restaurant at The Standford Inn, Mendocino, CA

https://stanfordinn.com/ravens-holiday-menus/

The Gentle Barn Pre-Thanksgiving Meal, Santa Clarita, CA

https://www.gentlebarn.org/events/upcoming-events/gbtg22-ca

COLORADO

Native Foods, Boulder, Glendale, and Lonetree, CO

https://nativefoods.com/thanksgiving/

FLORIDA

Hippocrates Wellness Vegan Thanksgiving Meal 2022, West Palm Beach, FL

https://store.hippocratesinst.org/products/vegan-thanksgiving-meal-2022

Red Pig Brewery Vegan Thanksgiving Buffet, Holly Hill, FL

https://allevents.in/holly%20hill/vegan-thanksgiving-buffet/10000434193824417

Vegan Thanksgiving Festival by Orlando Bearded Vegan in Persimmon Hollow Brewing, Orlando, FL

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vegan-thanksgiving-festival-tickets-440659864517

ILLINOIS

Native Foods, Chicago, IL (loop)

https://nativefoods.com/plant-based-thanksgiving/

The Chicago Diner, Chicago, IL (take-out)

https://chicago-diner-webstore.myshopify.com/

MARYLAND

Land of Kush, Baltimore, MD

https://www.facebook.com/TheLandofKush/

NuVegan, Baltimore, MD

http://www.ilovenuvegan.com/holiday-meals-menu/

One World Café, Baltimore, MD

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063530110691

MISSOURI

The Gentle Barn Pre-Thanksgiving Meal, Dittmer, MO

https://www.gentlebarn.org/events/upcoming-events/gbtg22-mo

NEW YORK

Blossom, New York, NY

https://www.blossomnyc.com/thanksgiving2022

Hudson Valley Vegans Thanksgiving Celebration, Rhinebeck, NY

https://www.meetup.com/hudson-valley-vegans/events/288890913/

Moosewood Vegan Thanksgiving, Ithaca, NY (takeout)

https://resy.com/cities/ith/venues/moosewood/events/2-people-vegan-thanksgiving-75-2022-11-23?date=2022-10-18&seats=2

Plant Daddy’s Kitchen, Oceanside, NY

https://www.plantdaddyskitchen.com/thanksgiving-menu

Pure Grit, New York, NY

https://www.puregritbbq.com/

Wild By Nature Market, various locations on Long Island, NY

https://wildbynature.com/2022-vegan-thanksgiving-menu/

NORTH CAROLINA

Triangle Vegetarian Society Thanksgiving Dinner in Chapel Hill and Durham, NC

https://www.trianglevegsociety.org/thanksgiving/

OHIO

Sunrise Sanctuary, Marysville, OH

https://www.sunrisesanctuary.org/contact-2/events/

PENNSYLVANIA

Miss Rachel’s Pantry, Philadelphia, PA

https://www.missrachelspantry.com/thanksgiving-2022

Eden Café, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre, PA

https://www.facebook.com/edenavegancafe

TENNESSE

The Gentle Barn Pre-Thanksgiving Meal, Christiana, TN

https://www.gentlebarn.org/events/upcoming-events/gbtg22-tn

VIRGINIA

Vegetarian Society of Richmond Vegan Thanksgiving Potluck

http://www.vegetarianrichmond.org/events/2022/11/24/vegan-thanksgiving-potluck

WASHINGTON

Pasado’s Safe Haven, Sultan, WA

https://www.pasadosafehaven.org/events/thanksgiving-for-the-turkeys/

Plum Bistro, Seattle, WA (take-out)

https://www.toasttab.com/plum-chopped-1419-12th-ave/v3#da3c3fec5-fcd5-4117-818d-9aaaa5f95320df28385ab-4871-437d-b92a-578d4bbb3a8d

 WASHINGTON, DC

DC Vegan, Washington, DC

https://www.dc-vegan.com/thanksgiving

If a reader has seen a meat substitute company with environmental life-cycle analysis results, please send the name of the company and a link to their information to [email protected] Thank you.

Enjoy this recipe by James Craig Thieman, demonstrated by Vegan Journal editor Rissa Miller.

See video at: https://youtu.be/1wVKxoLByOM

Get the recipe: https://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2020issue3/2020_issue3_bowled_over.php

To subscribe to Vegan Journal in the USA, see: https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php

By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

Little Saigon, a section of Seattle’s International District, is the home of ChuMinh Tofu, a vegan Vietnamese restaurant we visited on a recent trip to Seattle. A highlight, if you want to try a variety of foods, is the buffet. You can either choose “all you can eat” or pay by the pound. On the day that we were there, the buffet included around 20 different dishes including vegan egg rolls, lemongrass chicken, pickled mustard greens and tofu, bitter melon soup, and barbecue pork. You could also choose from 10 different Banh Mi (a baguette filled with savory ingredients), and several salads and rolls.

One of us went for the buffet and was delighted with all of the choices. Another had the Sesame Beef Banh Mi which was a medley of flavors and textures – creamy mayonnaise, chewy beef in a sesame-flavored sauce, pickled carrots and daikon radish, and cilantro. I had a Summer Roll which was described as “salad in a roll” and was filled with such interesting ingredients – taro, Thai basil, jicama, tofu, and rice noodles.

We were also impressed with a sign and a statement on the website that every Sunday ChuMinh Tofu serves a free meal outside their restaurant to anyone who needs it.

You can find ChuMinh Tofu at 1043 S. Jackson St., Seattle, WA.

Visit their website at https://www.chuminhtofu.com/

To find a list of veggie restaurants in the USA and Canada visit: https://www.vrg.org/restaurant/index.php

Are you looking for some alternatives to Turkey this Thanksgiving? Fortunately, there are many options today.

Field Roast offers these choices:
1. Celebration Roast with Traditional Bread Stuffing and Gravy – made with fresh onions, celery, cranberries and butternut squash.
2. Hazelnut Cranberry Plant-Based Roast – a rich, hazelnut-infused grain meat stuffed with Field Roast sausages, crystallized ginger, cranberries and apples – wrapped in a savory puff pastry. It’s even Toaster Oven friendly!
See: https://fieldroast.com/products/#roasts-loaves

Gardein offers a plant-based Turk’y Roast. See: https://www.gardein.com/chickn-and-turky/classics/plant-based-turky-roast

No Evil Foods offers The Pardon. See: https://www.noevilfoods.com/products/the-pardon/

Tofurky offers Tofurky Roast and Gravy. The Roast includes stuffing. See: https://tofurky.com/what-we-make/roasts/ They also have a Ham Style Roast. For details see: https://tofurky.com/what-we-make/roasts/ham-roast/

Trader Joes offers a Breaded Turkeyless Stuffed Roast. See: https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/061621